Determining When To Change Your Detonox Bath
Q: We are using Detonox detergent in our ultrasonic baths and are loving it. We use a visual inspection method (cloudiness of solution) to determine when to change the bath and are moving to conductivity and pH. It appears pH stays constant regardless of concentration?
A: As a broad statement, detergent concentration does very little to affect pH due to buffers, as well as salts, micelles, and other constituents. A pH meter wouldn’t be used to control for concentration on anything but very gross scales.
How To: Remove Permanent Marker From Glassware
Q: Can Alconox Inc. recommend how to effectively remove stubborn permanent marker from glassware and other labware without solvents like alcohol?
A: As everyone who has worked in a lab and similar facilities knows, marking beakers, vessels, and other reusable labware is part of everyday life. As is reusing them. With a move away from hazardous solvents like acetone, as well as regulated and in-demand alcohol, cleaning them with aqueous detergents becomes very desirable. We’ve had the most success at removing permanent marker….
Standard Operating Procedures for Cleaning
Q. What are important items to include in standard operating procedures for cleaning? A. A large part of successful cleaning relies on having a sound, reproducible procedure. In general, a good SOP should present a list of materials and people…
How to: Clean and Disinfect for Viruses and Other Pathogens
Per Center for Disease Control (CDC) guidelines for cleaning and disinfecting viruses and other pathogens, any form of disinfection necessarily follows cleaning. The process of cleaning will remove any residues that might shield any virus or pathogen from the disinfection step that comes next. Disinfection, following the thorough cleaning and rinsing, can be done with bleach solutions….
Clean Before Sterilization (Disinfection)
Did you know? If It’s Not Clean, You Can’t Sterilize.
Why must instruments be cleaned before being sterilized? According to the CDC, “Cleaning should precede all disinfection and sterilization processes.Cleaning involves the removal of debris (organic or inorganic) from an instrument or device. If visible debris is not removed, it will interfere with microbial inactivation and can compromise the disinfection or sterilization process.”